Canals, Cows and Cherry Blossoms

Our last tour around Fukuoka with Moka was another big adventure.  This time we met her at the Tenjin station and took a train to Yanagawa and Dazaifu.  Yanagawa is known for two things, eels and canals.  I love canal boat rides and hate eating eel.

This is the sign that welcomes you to Yanagawa.

The canals remind me very much of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

This guy was quite a hoot.  He talked or sang non-stop the whole 50 minutes!

Lots of beautiful canal scenes.  I'm amazed I got so many pics - it was hard to take between all the people on the boat.

Note our guys shoes.  It is hard to see, but there is a separation between his toes.

Yanagawa also has these unique decorations.  Each decoration has 7 strings, each string has 7 objects, there are two additional strings down the middle that each have 1 big ornament for a total of 51 - always the same number.  I believe the festival was in February.

There was a small museum there along with an equally small Japanese garden.  This photo was actually of a canal that ran along side the garden.

There is a story of a famous person who unfortunately died in disgrace, but he was venerated as being a very good person.  His body was returned to his birth city pulled by cows.  So in this temple the cow is given mystic properties and will bring you great luck of you touch it.  It took many tries to get this photo as people took turns massaging the cow and then having their picture taken with it.  This is in Dazaifu.

Red bridges are always very popular.  This temple had 3 bridges.  The first is for the past - you should not look back as you cross it.  The second is the present - don't stop.  The last is for the future - don't stumble.  I love all the symbolism.

Dazaifu is known for its plum trees.  A legend about the person for whom the temple was built is that he loved plum trees, especially the one that grew in his front yard in the city he worked in which was far from his homeland.  When he died in disgrace and his body was sent to his homeland pulled by cows, the plum tree followed him.  He had requested of the tree that it should protect his family after his death.  So it followed - flew to Dazaifu and planted itself in the temple yard that honored him and continued to protect his family.  It is still there to this day!